Railway crossing



May 5, 93 s. w. BALKWILL RAILWAY CROSSING Filed March 24, 1930 I N VEN TOR. 5249/26 w. Balkan/7 ATTORNEY; :0

Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN WARD BALKWILL, on CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO RAILWAY CROSSING Application'filedlMarch 24, 1930. Serial No. 438,333.

My invention, relating as indicated to railway crossings,has specific reference to improvements in articulated crossings, more especially crossings of the type illustrated and described in Patent No. 1,233,437, dated J uly l7, 1917. The advantages of the use of articulated crossings, as compared to those of the common form of solid crossing, are so well known to those familiar with the art that a reiteration thereof at this point is be lieved unnecessary. My invention is specifically directed to improvements in articulated crossings, which improvements have to do primarily with the formation of the various elements so that a crossing of improved deslgn results, having the further advantages of simplicity of constructlon which has not been possible 'with forms heretofore employed. It is among the objects of my invention to provide a crossing which shall have the above named desirable characteristics. Other objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out inthe claims,

the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain.

mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but

one of'vai'ious mechanical forms in which 7 the principle of the invention may be used.

- In said annexed drawing:

Fig.1 is a plan view of an articulated crossing embodying the improvements of my invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation ofan approach of the crossing il- :lustrated Fig. 1 taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line2-2; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of anapproach taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line 3-3; and Fig. l is a transverse sectional elevation of an approach taken on a plane substantially indicated by the line Referring more specifically to the drawings and more especially to Fig. 1, the crossing here shown is; of the type wherein the inter 'secting grooves or flangeways intersect at outer corners of the knee brace which, along with the angle elements 2 and. v the U-shaped members 1, are suitably bolted together by means of bolts as at 5 to form a rigid structure capable of withstanding the rlgid service'to which such crossing is sub jecteda The laterallfac'esof the U-shaped membersl, more especially thelegs 3 therei of, are formed with longitudinally tapering grooves 6 which terminate atone end as at 7 at those points of the inner faces of the U-shaped elements 1 which are engaged by the The opposite terminal portions 8, of the grooves 6 may. terminate in a vertical line which is coincidental with one corner ofthe rail receiving aperture in the approach to.

the crossing, as hereinafter more fully de scribed. a I T The approaches to the crossing, and I here prefer to employ the term approach as meaning that portion of the crossing by which the. wheels the crossing, depending upon the direction of movement of the train, are formed by'the bolting together of the angle members 2 and thelegs 3 of the U-shaped elements 1. Terminally formed in the legs 3 of the U-shaped elements 1 and'theleg's 9 of the angle members 2"are. rail receiving recesses formed in the manner hereinafter described. Extending from the inner terminus of the railreceiving aperture in the legs 9 of theangle 9 element 2 and projecting laterally from the longitudinal faces 10 .thereof are. tapered flanges or tongues 11 which are formed com plementaryto the taper of the grooves 6 and which terminate as at 12, which point may members 4:. 75

the=legs 3 of them I of the carseither enter upon or leave 85 a occupy a position adjacent to the outer corner of the knee braces l when the various elements of the crossing are bolted together.

The rail receiving apertures generally indicated at 13, and which are formed by the contiguous legs 3 and 9 of the elements 1 and 2 respectively, liar-re lateral walls or faces 14: and 15, respectively formed on the terminals of the legs 3 and 9. The inner terminus of the preferably flat face 14 may coincide with the vertical line 8 which is the outer terminus of the groove or slot 6 and the outer terminus of the flange or tongue 11, which is indicated at 15, and may likewise coincide with the vertical line 8 when the members are in assembled relation. The flat face 15 formed interiorly of the terminal portion of the leg 9 extends substantially parallel with the axis of tie rail adapted to be mounted in the receiving aperture 18 while the face 1 L preferably converges outwardly from the line 8 so that a suitable wedge member 16 may be introduced between the rail 1'? and the face 14lof the arm 3, thereby insuring a close fitting construction when the parts are bolted together. The legs 3 and 9 have respectively integrally formed therewith at their lower inner edges inwardly disposed flange members 18 and 19 which extend the length of the aperture 13. When the rail 17 is positioned in the receiving aperture 13 formed tl erefor, a base plate 20 may be interposed between the bottom of the rail 1'? and the flanges 18 and 19 to afford a replaceable wearing element between the rail and the crossing proper. Interposed between the web of the rail and the face 15 of the arm 9 is a longitudinally extending filler member 21 which provides additional means for supporting the rail in the approach when the bolts 5 are put in place and the nuts 22 thereof made tight.

It will be noted in connection with the construction of the apnroaches, as illustrated by the sectional views 2 and 3, that the flange or tongue 11 wnich engages the groove 6 is preferably formed in the manner more specifically shown in Fig. 3, and the under portion of the arm 9 of angle member 2 may be hollow and provided with transversely extending bolt supporting cord elements 23.

The principles of construction hereinbefore described comprising my invention are particularly advantageous when the crossing is assembled or disassembled due to the fact that any one rail may be secured to or re moved from the crossing by disturbing only those bolts which pass through the rail and without disassembling any other parts of the crossing. Further, the formation of the grooves 6 and the engaging flanges 11 is such that particular advantages of construction are presented which are not found in any forms of construction heretofore employed. It is believed that a further description of my invention is unnecessary for those acquainted with the art. Suffice it to say that numerous advantages result from the employment of the construction above described and that by its use a crossing will result having qualities superior to any heretofore constructed.

ther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

1 therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. in a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary interengaging means on the contiguous races of said members, said last named means taper d longitudinally and terminating in said rail receiving apertures.

2. in a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary interengaging means on the contiguous said members, said infaces or terengagingmeanstaperedlongitudinally and extending from the terminals of said rail recc. ing apertures.

8. in a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary tongue and groove means associated with said members, said tongue and groove means tapered longitudinally and ter minating in said receiving apertures.

a. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary tongue and groove means associated with said members, said tongue and groove means extending from the terminals of said rail receiving apertures toward the intersection of said grooves.

5. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in heir top surfaces, rail receiving apertures formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary tongue and groove means formed integrally with the adjacent faces of said members and extending from the terminals of said rail receiving apertures to points adjacent the intersection of said grooves.

6. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assemdisclosed, provided the bled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, ra1l recelving apertures formed in the approaches of the crossing, and a complementary interengaging means on the contiguous faces of said members, said last named means tapered longitudinally and extending from the terminals of the sides of said rail receiving apertures.

7. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures having non-parallel sides formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary interengaging means on the contiguous faces of said members, said last named means tapered longitudinally and extending from the terminals of the sides of said rail receiving apertures.

8. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have' intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures having flat non-parallel sides formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary interengaging means on the contiguous faces of said members, said last named means tapered longitudinally and extending from the terminals of the sides of said rail receiving apertures. v

9. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures.

having relatively outwardly converging sides formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary tongue and groove interengaging means associated with said members, said last named means tapered'longitudinally and extending from the terminals of the sides of said rail receiving apertures.

10. In a railway crossing, the combination of a plurality of members which when assembled have intersecting grooves formed in their top surfaces, rail receiving apertures having relatively outwardly converging sides formed in the approaches of the crossing, and complementary tongue and groove interengaging means associated with said members,

said grooves and one of said sides oppositely tapered from a common line.

Signed by me, this 22d day of March, 1930.

STEPHEN WARD BALKWILL. 

